Electric fan motor re-re-re-repair

[Stormin Mormon]

I've got a table top oscillating fan that's been in the family for maybe twenty years. Used it yesterday to blow dry a room that took a bit of rain. Ran a few hours and warmed up, the fan stopped.

If it's the fan I think, my dad had oiled it several times, and twice for me.

Has anyone tried cleaning the whole thing out with oven cleaner, or non acid refrigeration coil cleaner, and then let it totally dry and re-oil it? I suspect the old oil and petroleum is finding its way to the bearings, repeatedly.

Yes, I could buy another fan, but who has money these days? Not me!

[gfretwell]

If the blade is just bound up you might be able to fix it by lubing the shaft. If the blade spins and it won't run, you probably blew the thermal fuse inside,

These things use an oilite bearing that is factory lubricated. Once that is gone, reoiling is going to be a temporary fix. Usually you are best off by cleaning the bearing with a solvent like paint thinner or laquer thinner, then oiling it.

[Ed Pawlowski]

Last thing I'd use is oven cleaner. There are some electrical contact cleaners in a spray can that would probably work. They won't harm anything or leave residue. Worst case though, is you cause the present glop to run and spread to someplace it should not.

CRC and Gunk both make a motor cleaner in spray cans, about $10.

[trader_4]

+1 on the oven cleaner, which contains lye.

[Stormin Mormon]

Oven cleaner should remove grease residue, with minimal damage to metals.

I tried some last couple drops of trichlor I had, yesterday. The fan isn't worth a ten dollar can of spray. If I use the fan again in the next few days (very likely) will see how it goes. I might invest a two dollar can of brake cleaner, or carb cleaner. Ten for CRC is more than the fan is worth.

[Stormin Mormon]

I had a few drops of trichlor in a can. Sprayed the shaft and armature, and then squirt of zoom spout tubrine oil. Runs for now, but that's what I said the last time. And the last time slowed and stopped after a few hours of run time.

This time instead of spray cans, maybe I'll use cotton swabs and paint thinner, and clean it out but good.

[gfretwell]

Throw the thing away and get a new one.

[clare]

And replace it in about the same time the old one fails after re-lubing.

[gfretwell]

Not really true. You can try to get some oil in an oilite bearing but it will never be as good as a new one. We used a buttload of those motors in the computer biz, back when they actually were fixed and our efforts in reoiling them was always a temporary fix.

[clare]

My point was the new crap doesn't stand up worth a hoot. Not at all uncommon for them to fail within 13 or 14 months - and not THAT uncommon for them to fail within warranty.

There are fans out their that will last - but the are not cheap. (and sadly, just because you pay a lot for something doesn't mean you get something that is not "cheap"

[gregz]

Aside from dissambly, I would use something like WD-40 (ha) first, then use heavier oils. I reoil fans I use often, some which run for days. The thin spirits in WD -40 ooze out with old gunk.

Greg

[Stormin Mormon]

Quality: It's just a slogan!

[Stormin Mormon]

Sigh. There is great wisdom in this counsel.

[Stormin Mormon]

Today I got two small bottles of oil for electric motors. Might try that some time, after blasting the old out with some thing. I may have some brake cleaner in cans, try that. Cheap enough.

Will also look for close out and clearance on fans, in case this one goes out again.

[gfretwell]

The way it was explained to us is that these bearings are made of porous bronze and empregnated with oil in the manufacturing process. Over time the volatile parts of the oil evaporate away leaving the gummy part. You can put more oil in there are free it up for a while but the gum is still there. The only thing that really works is dissolving out all the gum with a solvent and getting oil in there at the same concentration it was. That is easier said than done without removing the bearings and working in a tank.

They do sell common sizes pretty cheap at Ace Hardware but I am not sure it is worth doing for a $10 fan.

[Stormin Mormon]

Thank you. That helps explain why re-oil only lasts a short time. The heavier fractions are still in the bearing.